Month: June 2018

“We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately” – Benjamin Franklin That quote from one of our Founding Fathers should be a reminder to Iowa Democrats that we must all unite. Franklin gave that advice to all American patriots following the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In signing the Declaration, the Founding Fathers were committing to unite in solidarity to form a new nation. It had been a difficult and divisive debate, but once they committed to independence, Franklin reminded them of the consequences if they failed to unite. He warned them that they […]

If you go out East this week and swing by places like Mount Vernon, Monticello and Montpelier, don’t be surprised if the soil has been disturbed over the graves of our Founding Fathers. Those founders of this beacon of freedom known as the United States of America surely have turned over in their graves following the weekend news from President Donald Trump. The president announced that he wants to eliminate due process and access to the courts for people accused of entering the United States without government permission. “We cannot allow all of these people to invade our Country,” the […]

Jason Kander may have a new personal electoral goal for himself now that he’s announced his candidacy for the Kansas City mayor’s race, but his voting rights crusade will march on in Iowa and other states. “Nothing has changed about our program here in Iowa,” Let America Vote’s Iowa state director Zack Davis told Starting Line yesterday. “We are continuing to move forward and are looking at ways to actually grow the internship program.” That’s a good thing for Democratic candidates in Iowa who are set to benefit from one of the largest ground game operations from a national group […]

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard talks with former Democratic Party Chair Sue Dvorsky about Iowa campaigns post-primary and where Kim Reynolds will struggle in the race. And we interview Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, about Fred Hubbell and what an administration and policies in a blue state look like.

The Trump administration would have you believe that the folks that slip over the boarder are murders, rapists and generally bad people. What statistics really show is that only a few meet that criteria, and by percentage, dramatically less then our own citizenry. A very large number are families with children who are looking for a better life and are afraid of the violent gangs in their home countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, known as the Northern Triangle. A program started under President Obama called the Alliance for Prosperity was designed to improve the economy of the region […]

Iowa farmers and Iowa companies that depend on exports better beware of Trump’s tariff promises. His flip-flop from friend to foe with Harley-Davidson should be a warning to all Iowans not to trust his promises. Iowa Republicans are calling for patience and suggesting Trump’s regime will protect the Iowa economy. However, based on how his tariffs are punishing Harley-Davidson, Iowa Republicans need to wake up to Trump’s trade war. American employees of the iconic Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company are the latest victims of Trump’s senseless trade war. Harley-Davidson announced this week they will be forced to move American jobs overseas in […]

Will voters be eager to support “the exact opposite of Trump,” as Jeff Merkley describes himself, for president in 2020? That’s the sentiment the senator from Oregon hopes he finds among Iowans as he makes some early trips out to the lead-off caucus state and seriously considers launching his own presidential candidacy next year. Merkley traversed the Democratic activist scene two weekends ago in Iowa (his second major trip here since 2016) right as his efforts to expose the Trump Administration’s family separation policy gained steam. While Trump’s policy was first implemented back in April, the dam of public opinion didn’t […]

With the 2018 elections just a few months away, I am already thinking about who would make the best Democratic candidates for President and Vice President just 29 months away. I have my pick for President and it’s the same one I have had the past few presidential elections: Joseph R. Biden. I know some people bring up his age; we are approximately the same age, so I get that, but I think he is in better health then me. Also, unless the Mueller investigation knocks him out, the probability is his opponent will be Donald Trump, who is also […]

Congressman John Delaney, the only declared Democratic presidential candidate for 2020, is staffing up his Iowa operation with a new hire that has some solid in-state experience. Monica Biddix will serve as Delaney’s new communications director for the lead-off caucus state, building out Delaney’s current presence here a year and a half out from the Iowa Caucus. Biddix most recently worked as Andy McGuire’s campaign manager in the gubernatorial primary. A native of North Carolina and proud Tar Heel sports supporter, Biddix first came to Iowa in 2012 and was instrumental in keeping the Iowa Senate under Democratic control. She […]

Washington Governor Jay Inslee is the featured speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame celebration dinner tomorrow night. Nearly every national Democrat coming to Iowa is automatically assumed to be a potential 2020 presidential candidate. However, Inslee as the chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), is focusing on electing Democratic Governors in 2018. In a recent interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Inslee answered a question about his presidential aspirations. “Well, I am interested in winning in 2018,” Inslee said. “We can’t wait till 2020 to rein in this train of abuses.” As the chair of DGA, Inslee […]